Wheelchair lift mechanism

A lift comprising:

• a platform;
• a frame;
• platform mounting means mounting the platform for vertical movement on the frame, the platform mounting means including means for maintaining the platform at a level orientation;
• a pair of drums having spaced apart, parallel axes;
• a pair of drum mounting links, having respective ones of the drums mounted thereon for rotation about the respective drum axes, the links being mounted on the frame for rotation about link axes parallel to the drum axes;
• a pair of brake bands engaged about respective ones of the drum;
• a pair of brake anchors secured to the respective brake bands between the drums;
• a pair of first cables wound on the respective drums, running off the drums on sides thereof opposite the break anchors and secured to the platform;
• a pair of second cables each wound on a respective one of the drums in a direction opposite the winding direction of the first cable wound thereon and running off the drum on the same side as the first cable;
• a pair
• of second cable anchors mounted on the platform and extending vertically therefrom, the second cable anchors being secured to the respective second cables;
• a pair of drum sprockets mounted on the drums;
• a pair of drive chains engaged with the respective drum sprockets;
• a pair of drive sprockets engaged with the drive chains between the drums;
• means coupling the drive sprockets for simultaneous rotation thereof;
• a reversing sprocket engaged with one of the drive chains such that the drums rotate simultaneously in opposite directions;
• chain tensioning means for tensioning the drive chains;
• and
• hand crank means for turning the drive sprockets.